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Name: BUCHAN-SYDSERFF, Archibald
Nee: son of George Rennie Buchan-Sydserff, of South Africa
Birth Date: 25 Sep 1871 St Nicolas, Northumberland
Death Date: 24 June 1961 Nakuru
First Date: 1909
Profession: Ostrich farming at Naivasha and later built boats and houses at Nakuru
Area: Naivasha. In retirement lived in Nakuru
Married: In Mombasa 1913 Ivy Ethel Scrooby b. 8 Sep 1883 Heckpoort, S Africa, d. 29 July 1966 Johannesburg (dau of George Algeny Howsen Scrooby)
Children: Basil (5 Feb 1915-8 July 1932 Nakuru)
Book Reference: Gillett, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Hut, Red 22, Pioneers, Barnes, North, Old Africa. Red Book 1912
War Service: Royal Corps
General Information:
Pioneers - Nakuru - Pioneer Mary - On one occasion Archibald Buchan-Sydserff, a railway engineer known as Bwana Simba, had been out all day in the bush at the height of the hot dry season, surveying towards Rongai. Weary and hungry, he was making his way back to his camp at Nakuru, looking forward to one of Mary's fresh hot loaves, a roast guinea-fowl, and a good long rest on his camp-bed. Suddenly an agitated African jumped out of the bush and barred his path. 'Return at once, Bwana Simba,' he cried. 'Memsahib Kiboko is calling for you! Quickly, come!' Pioneer Mary was on the rampage, all ready to thrash him with her rhino-hide whip. His labourers, she claimed, had stolen sheets of corrugated iron from her ovens. Bwana Simba had to sleep out in the bush that night, supperless and weary. Nobody dared face Pioneer Mary when she was in a really good old-fashioned Irish temper.
Nakuru North cemetery - Archie Buchan-Sydserff - died 24/6/1961
Gazette 22 Dec 1967 wife's probate
Old Africa 19 - Archie Sydserf, who worked for the railroad built the first brick House in Nakuru in the early 1930s. One unique feature of the house was a set of footprints cast in the concrete skirting the base of the house. Starting with an elephant, then a rhino, the footprints dwindled in size until the last set - belonging to 18 month old Gay Pike, Archie's goddaughter. Sydserf built the footprint frieze in 1934.
Red Book 1912 - A.B. Sydsorff [sic] - Naivasha
Gazette - 3/12/1919 - Register of Voters - Rift Valley Area - A.B. Sydserff - Farmer - Nakuru and Mrs Sydserff - Nakuru
Gazette 8 Aug 1961
Orange Free State Probate Records: probate for his father George Rennie Buchan-Sydserff, speculator, who d. 2 Oct 1889 Krugersdorf, Transvaal. Wife Mary Ann, and 5 children aged 20 to 15: Eliza Allison (20), Margaret Maud (19), Martha Gertrude (17), Archibald (16) and George Alexander (15)